- Berea City School District
- Overview
BMHS Football Parents & Community Update
August 1, 2019
To the Students and Parents of the Berea-Midpark High School Football Program:
While we understand that football practice begins today, August 1st, and in order to provide complete and thorough communication with our football families and the larger community as a whole, I want to take this opportunity to give an update regarding the events surrounding the hazing incident that occurred in June on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.
It is important to note that on June 28, 2019, at the direction of the Cleveland Police Department, the district had stopped our investigation and communication with families and students until the police had an opportunity to reach their conclusions of the situation as they believed that it had become a criminal case. As of July 30th, the administration of Berea-Midpark High School was given clearance by the Cleveland Police Department to resume our investigation into the hazing incident.
As of July 31st, Mr. Ruggerio and Mr. Howard proceeded with their investigation. Accordingly, any student who had been asked to remain out of summer training has been and will be held out until the school district is able to conclude a thorough and complete review of the incident and make appropriate and just decisions regarding any of the student athletes involved. We are working diligently to ensure the process is fair, prompt and just.
The Board of Education policy prohibits any form of hazing, and the District takes any allegations of hazing seriously. Further, the Board takes students' privacy rights seriously and both federal and state privacy laws prohibit the Board and any of its employees from revealing personally-identifiable-student information, which also would include any information about student discipline.
As we move forward and our football team enters the 2019 season, we hope that our Titan community can rally around the Berea-Midpark Titan football team and the student athletes who proudly wear the blue and orange and compete on the field.
If you have any questions please contact the Berea-Midpark High School Athletic Director, Adam Howard at ahoward@bereaschools.org or me at twheeler@bereaschools.org.
Tracy L. Wheeler
Superintendent